The average salary for a social worker in California is around $63,010 per year.
Avg Salary
Social workers earn an average yearly salary of $63,010.
Wages typically start from $36,160 and go up to $132,480.
8% below national average Updated in 2025
Social worker earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level social worker earnings begin at:
$63.69 per hour
$132,480 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level social worker earnings begin at:
$49.12 per hour
$102,160 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level social worker earnings begin at:
$30.29 per hour
$63,010 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level social worker earnings begin at:
$20.36 per hour
$42,350 per year
10th percentile
Starting level social worker earnings begin at:
$17.38 per hour
$36,160 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Social worker salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Missouri | $98,740 |
| District of Columbia | $96,380 |
| South Carolina | $96,350 |
| Alabama | $94,270 |
| South Dakota | $93,760 |
| Delaware | $93,250 |
| Virginia | $92,930 |
| Mississippi | $91,560 |
| Iowa | $91,170 |
| New Mexico | $90,820 |
| Idaho | $88,610 |
| Kentucky | $85,160 |
| Indiana | $84,570 |
| Texas | $84,240 |
| New York | $84,010 |
| North Dakota | $81,330 |
| Minnesota | $79,790 |
| Georgia | $78,260 |
| New Jersey | $76,640 |
| Nebraska | $76,520 |
| Kansas | $76,190 |
| Maryland | $75,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,430 |
| Vermont | $73,070 |
| Louisiana | $69,230 |
| Connecticut | $69,080 |
| Wyoming | $69,020 |
| Oregon | $67,820 |
| Utah | $66,440 |
| Illinois | $64,030 |
| North Carolina | $63,490 |
| California | $63,010 |
| Wisconsin | $62,830 |
| West Virginia | $62,590 |
| Arizona | $62,150 |
| Michigan | $62,140 |
| Colorado | $61,610 |
| Alaska | $61,220 |
| Maine | $60,280 |
| Ohio | $59,780 |
| Florida | $58,550 |
| Montana | $51,650 |
| Tennessee | $51,460 |
| Arkansas | $47,790 |
| Guam | $46,920 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,010 |
| Nevada | $121,830 |
| Hawaii | $116,130 |
| Rhode Island | $111,590 |
| New Hampshire | $103,710 |
| Washington | $102,520 |
| Oklahoma | $101,860 |
| Massachusetts | $101,280 |
How do social worker salaries compare to similar careers?
Social workers earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than meter readers but more than drug and alcohol counselors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Meter reader salary | $79K |
| Marriage and family therapist salary | $67K |
| American sign language interpreter salary | $71K |
| Archaeologist salary | $72K |
| Anthropologist salary | $72K |
| Social worker salary | $63K |
| Family social worker salary | $65K |
| Credit counselor salary | $67K |
| Mental health counselor salary | $59K |
| Drug and alcohol counselor salary | $59K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)